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| Vietnam Glint (Photo by Handyhuy) |
Since oceans mean water, and water often means life, scientists have been hunting for oceans in outer space.
Alan Yuhas of The
Guardian explains that there are many “ice-rich worlds which potentially harbor subsurface oceans.”
Jupiter’s moon Europa is likely one of them. NASA already has White House approval to do a fly-by mission of Europa, complete with “ice-penetrating radar.”
Astronomer Vikki Meadows has been seeking out oceans via the “glint effect.” She describes this as a familiar phenomenon for anyone who has “ever sat on a beach after sunrise or sunset.”
These small flashes of light that bounce off the water might also occur on other worlds. Researchers have already calculated “the glint effect for other planets,” and will utilize it to “help detect oceans on solar systems outside our own.”
Resources
http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/nasa-scientists-life-outside-of-earth-is-probably-going-to-be-really-hard-to-find/ar-BBleWgC
Copyright June 25, 2015 by Linda Van Slyke All Rights Reserved
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